Military News | Andrew Panik accepted into US Naval Academy

LARUE - Andrew Panik, 18, of LaRue, recently announced at the LaRue Alliance Community (LCA) meeting that he had been accepted into the US Naval Academy.

Andrew is the son of Nick and Martina Stanley. He is the oldest brother of Laylana, Ayden, Austin and Adeodatus.

While the Naval Academy has always been Panik's academy of choice, he was also honored with nominations for the United States Military Academy and the United States Air Force Academy.

“I’ve dreamed of being in the Navy since I was small. It holds a special place in our family history, and it’s one of the highest honors I could dream of,” Panik said.

Andrew has had a dream of entering the US Naval Academy since he was about 5-years-old. He wanted to follow in the foot steps of his uncle, LT. Jonas Martin Panik, a 1997 graduate of the Naval Academy. Lt. Panik was killed in the Pentagon attack on 9/11 while working in Naval Intelligence.

According to the United States Naval Academy 2021 Class Portrait, approximately 16,000 high school students apply annually. Only 5,000 candidates typically receive congressional nominations. Of those nominations, less than 1,400 receive formal appointments, and only 1,200 carry through to ultimately initiate as Navy Midshipmen.

Andrew will graduate from Treca Digital Academy in May and leave for the Naval Academy in late June.